Divinely Inspired!

How amazing and how RIGHT it is to celebrate the many facets of human creativity by pondering the mysteries and wonders of the Creator Himself. Our Parish Mission this year was so blessed, so motivating, so convicting, so downright holy! If you weren’t able to make it to every session, you can listen (or re-listen) to most of them on our website. Look under the heading of Adults, and then choose “Audio Downloads” from the menu. They should be available by April 8. We did have some difficulty recording Fr. Bob McCabe – whose presentation was very visual anyway – so unfortunately that talk is not available.

If you’re looking for some motivation to listen to the talks or just a quick adrenaline-rush/flashback of divine inspiration, here’s a recap of my favorite moment from each session. What were yours?

Sunday Night: A big, rowdy group of merrymakers, suddenly and absolutely silent on their knees in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Monday Morning: Looking into the eyes of Jesus as captured in the desperate and sincere invitation of each person in Fr. Bob’s photographs: “Come, be My companion. Love Me,” Christ implored.

Monday Night: The retelling of the moment when Kathy’s husband stood inside the outlines of her living-room-wall sketch of the Crucified Christ… and how they had the very same dimensions… and isn’t that the way marriage is meant to be?

Tuesday Morning: The palpable depth of Mary’s love of The Blessed Virgin Mary, rooted in her own mother’s prayers and pleadings, and developed through a lifetime of trust.

Tuesday Night: Encountering a dear friend at a different event after the Song and Spirit Concert who showed me the Peace Rock that had been carrying in his pocket. “It all starts with me,” he acknowledged.

Wednesday Night: Discovery of the profound blessing of our Cathedral’s massive walls being built in imitation of a fortress to protect us from harm, and our own parish’s windows being conceived as a way to make the interior dappled with sunlight – as in Eden.

As for the Mosaic Art Project – what fun! Thank you to everyone who participated! This email I received sums it up pretty well: “I made a tile this morning. I am absolutely uncreative and I found myself totally enjoying it.” We really felt the Spirit move when participating in different devotions, too. Gratitude goes to the Legion of Mary, Fr. Mark, Lynn Duffy, and Frank Marinello for their leadership there!

Many thanks go to all those behind the scenes who helped to make the Mission successful; we especially appreciate Maryann Ris and the many bakers and donors who helped to provide refreshments and a chance for fellowship. Kudos to Dan Tardiff for his patience and diligence with our flaky sound system and our semi-flaky PCL; thanks also to our Parish Council and Evangelization Committee for being welcoming and informative. A big round of applause to our three brilliant priests, Chris Broses, Holly Michelcavage, Kim Houseman, David Graves, Bill Scally, Dr. Chun, Maryann Brani, and everyone whose teamwork supported the planning and production! To all who came: your presence was a gift. We enrich each other in this community of saints. Thank you.